Entrepreneurs

When Emily Mathieson set up her homeware business Aerende in 2016, she didn’t know it would be a social enterprise. She hadn’t even heard the term before. Aerende’s products are made by people who face social challenges, including survivors of trafficking and people with learning disabilities. “I wanted to set …

In recent years, people have become more sceptical of unfettered capitalism. Tales of fat cat excess, pension black holes and falling wages, have contributed to a feeling of “us and them”. But what if the “us” was “them”? Employee ownership puts a business in the hands of those that work …

“There are so many young introverts who feel that there is something profoundly wrong with them. And that’s incredibly disabling,” says Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. Cain has helped to popularise a clearer understanding of what it means to …

We know plenty about Elon Musk, the South African-born erstwhile teen mega-nerd, PayPal co-founder and Tesla boss turned tunneller, space coloniser and battery tycoon. But what about all the other Musks? Because while Elon revels in the success of his recent rocket launch, and a car-based publicity stunt that made …

Amazon has built treehouses in its offices and Microsoft employees work in the woods. Companies reveal why they are using plants to boost productivity The botanical meditation room at media firm Essence. Photograph: Matthew Beedle Most offices have a few plants dotted around the place. Some companies, however, like to …

Guardian Small Business Network Nearly four million of us spend two hours a day travelling to and from the office. Here’s a guide to making that time well spent Make time for ‘breakfast for your brain’ on the morning commute. Photograph: Hinterhaus Productions/Getty Images Despite advances in remote working, Britain’s …

In the first of our new series, The Upside, we look at how the country went from famine to topping nearly every global social ranking ‘It’s about cooperating. Everyone together, equally’: Helsinki, the Finnish capital. Photograph: Hemis/Alamy Western Europe’s last naturally caused famine ended 150 years ago this winter. In …

The founders of Brompton Bikes, WAH Nails, Unruly, Inkpact and Doddle reveal how to shake up an industry Being at the helm of a disruptive business comes with challenges. Photograph: Gary Burchell/Getty Images Founders of businesses that shake up an industry are seen as future gazers, innovators, one step ahead …

With predictions of automation taking over and mass unemployment, it’s hard not to feel panicked. But the future of work could be liberating I, robot? Think of AI as freeing you from the more mundane jobs, rather than competition. Photograph: Alamy Stock Photo Read the news and you’ll see scary …